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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Will 2015 be the year of change for River Park Square?

Right now, it's early into 2015 but already it's looking like this may be a year for major changes at River Park Square in Downtown Spokane. The news is still developing but here are some of what we know...

New stores and restaurants
River Park Square already has some business changes happening. Whiz Kids, a education toy / gift shop, which had been on the third floor has now moved to a new, newly remodeled and bigger space on the second floor by the entry to Nordstrom.

Also, Arbor Crest Winery has closed down their third floor tasting room and will be replaced soon, along with the former Pizza Oven space next door. The new business there will be Hole Shot, a new locally owned and operated pizza restaurant and The First Turn, a wine / beer bar, which will also be locally owned and operated. ( More info- http://www.inlandnwbusiness.com/2015/01/holeshot-pizza-first-turn-bar-coming.html )

Additionally the mall has other retail vacancies which will likely not stay empty for too long after the weather starts to warm back up.

Wall Street to be vacated for a new retail tenant?
This is not set in stone and is currently up for discussion by Spokane City Council. A mystery national retailer is said to be interested in opening on the east side of River Park Square. But as a stipulation of their opening they would need to take about 17 feet of right away on N. Wall St.

This is controversial because Spokane Transit has been in discussion also of using that same right of way for a central city transit line.

As of today no decision has been made. And it is assumed this new business would take over the neighboring former T-Mobile space and maybe even the former art/ gift business space that is on the second floor over top of the former T-Mobile.

If anyone has tips on who this mystery national retailer may be, please e-mail INBW HQ at inlandbusiness@yahoo.com . You can remain anonymous .

The big news - Mobius Science Center moving out, another mystery retailer involved
To our knowledge the Mobius Children's Museum in River Park Square basement will stay and remain in business. But the Mobius Science Center, technically across the street at 809 W. Main, but still on River Park Square's property will be moving out.

This is due River Park Square's management supposedly having a new national tenant wanting to locate in the same, prime Downtown space. Again, River Park Square will not say who this business is. However, early speculation is Whole Foods, but that is only speculation and may or may not be correct. If anyone would like to give an anonymous tip contact me at inlandbusiness@yahoo.com .

And rest assured, Mobius Science Center is not closing. Mobius will move to a small temporary space in the Downtown Public Library building. Very close by River Park Square. This move is only temporary as Mobius will soon move into the Post St. Substation building, which is being donated to Mobius by Avista.

But, because of Avista's non public uses of the historic landmark building, extensive remodeling must be done before Mobius can move in. Currently Mobius is thought to be moving in there around the end of 2015. Mobius will at first use only first floor there, with all floors being available to them in the months after then initially occupancy.

Big ideas from Spokane area bloggers...
It's not an official plan, more just one local man's idea. But the blogger behind The #Spokanerising Project ( https://spokanerising.wordpress.com/ ) came up recently with an idea to turn Main Ave. by River Park Square into a car less pedestrian mall.